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AUTOMATIC SAFETY'STQP FOR ELEVATORS.

Patented June 27 N PETERS. Pfinwuun m w. Washington, a c.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JAMES P. FREEMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,'ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO CHARLES F. PIERCE, OF SAME PLACE.

AUTOMATIC SAFETY-STOP FOR ELEVATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 260,017, dated June 27, 1882,

Application filed December 22, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs P. FREEMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Safety-Stopsfor Elevators, hereinafter described as particularly adapted to be operated by an electric current, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to safety-stops connected with the suspending-cable of the elevator in such a manner that when the cable parts the stop will be operated to lock and suspend the elevator in the well, when it would otherwise fall to the bottom of the same.

The object of my invention isto provide a stop of simple construction, having a positive and instantaneous operation in lockin g the elevator in the shaft the same, or substantially the samefmoment the suspending-cable slackens or is severed, so that the elevator is securely locked before it can gain momentum in any perceptible degree, hence avoiding jarring the occupants and increasing the strain upon the stop, as is commonly the case with those now in use. I attain this object by devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of an elevator having a safety stop or brake embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a detail of the safety-stop; Fig. 3, a bottom plan view of the case or platform; Fig. 4, a detail of the stop, and Fig. 5 a modification of the stop.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the drawings.

' A represents an elevator designed for'pas sengers, but may, so far as the present invention is concerned, he used as afreight, mining, or other elevator.

Securedin any suitable manner to the car or platform is the suspending-cable 13, passing over the drum 1) at the upper end of the shaft or well, and coiling around the drum c at the bottom of the shaft or, well, but may be operated in any other suitable or desirable manner.

To the under side of the elevator car or platform is firmly secured by bolts or other means one or more iron bars, C C, and extending out to or a little beyond the edge of the bottom of platform when fully loaded and operating as a safetystop.

Around and to that portion of the link extending between the eyes of anchor-bars C C is coiled and fastened a spring, 01, the free end of which presses against a bar, 0, of the link in such a manner as to cause the link and anchor-irons to assume a position in a straight horizontal'line with each other when the spring is at rest, but which will allow the link to be swung upwardly at a right or other desirable angle relative to the irons.

Of course any ordinary spring or a weight or the gravity ofthe link itself maybe utilized 7 to cause the link to fall toward a horizontal when relieved from substantially an upright position, the purpose of which will be presently explained.- Nor is it to be understood that only one link is to be used, for several may be used on the same or different sides of the platform, or on the same sides in differing planes. So, also,the number and arrangement of the anchor-irons may be varied at will, although the present arrangement and number is desirable andsuflicient under ordinary circumstances.

Secured upon the platform is a powerful 8o electro-magnet, E, the position of which is such thatwhen the link is in an upright position, as shown in Fig. 2, or inclined above its operative position, as shown in Fig. 5, the then upper edge of the link will be in contact with and be held by the magnet, notwithstanding the power of the spring or the gravity of the link. This magnet is connected with an electric battery, F, by wires fg, the former of which passes through the suspending-cable, if 0 rope, or is simply attached, if of wire, so as to be substantially taut, and is connected with the battery directly from the cable or through the medium of the drum 0 or its axle, as may be desired or necessary, and the latter wire, g, 5

passes directly from the magnet to the battery, thus closing the circuit.

To the sides and extending the length of the well is secured a vertical rack-bar, G, which in the present instance has hook-shapedteeth 10o corresponding with the end bar of the link, projecting upwardly and adapted to be engaged by the link, but which may be raised to correspond with the numerous variations which may be given the link both in general shape and in cross-section. The link in its raised position is quite close to the rack-bar, but in nowise interferes with the car or platform when successfully operated.

It may here be stated that my invention is not limited to the exact construction shown and above described, for it will be understood that a safety-stop consisting of a sliding bolt may be substituted for the link and be held out of its operative position by the magnet and actuated, when released therefrom, by a spring or weight.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination, with the suspendingcable of an elevator and with an electro-magnet, of a safety-stop held by direct contact with said magnet, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the suspending- 25 cable of an elevator and an electromagnet, of a pivoted locking link or stop held against said magnet, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the suspendingcable of an elevator, an electro-maguet, and a pivoted locking link or stop having contact with the magnet, of a detracting-spring, substantially as described.

4. I u an elevator, the anchor-bars and locking-link pivoted thereto, in combination with the electro-magnet and the suspending-cable, substantially as described.

5. The anchor-bars, the safety-stop, the vertical rack-bar,and the suspending-cable, in combination with the electro-magnet and a battery connected direct with the magnet and with the coiling-drum or suspending-cable, substantially as described.

JAMES P. FREEMAN.

Witnesses:

J no. G. ELLIOTT, WILLIAM G. WHITING. 

